White Moon, Black Sun
by DemonicDragoness
Summary: There is a bond between a shinigami and a zanpakutou, a bond that waxes with trust and wanes with betrayal, that rises with death and sets with rebirth. ZanIchi. Yaoi.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: don't own it

White Moon, Black Sun

by

DemonicDragoness

xxx

Swirls of black and red energy crackled and spun among the sideway's buildings of Ichigo's inner world. They spun insanely, tugging at Ichigo's hair and clothes.

"Focus, Ichigo. Pull your power within you! Do not let it escape you skin." Zangetsu watched from nearby, his hair and robe perpetually rippling in an unseen wind.

"I'm trying!" Ichigo yelled over the roar of his power. He tried to yank in his reiatsu, but it again and again it seemed to slip past his fingers.

Zangetsu narrowed his eyes. "Try harder! It is your power, force it to obey your commands! Do not let it overcome you."

Ichigo concentrated, clenching his eyes and fists shut. He mentally willed his reiatsu to compress into his body. The swirls of energy drew closer, glowing bright around him. With a snap, they disappeared within him. Ichigo opened his eyes. They glowed white-blue with power.

"I did it!" he exclaimed.

"Focus!" Zangetsu bellowed, but it was too late. A torrent of power poured out of him, flickering, then dissipating.

Ichigo's face fell. With an angry huff, he sat down on the horizontal skyscraper. "I had it," he grumbled.

Zangetsu laid a hand on his shoulder. "You need practice. Your reiryoku is vast. That is enough for today. Return to me tomorrow, Ichigo, and we will try again."

"No! I want to keep going!" Ichigo stood up.

"Tomorrow. You are exhausted."

"But—"

Zangetsu shook his head. "You will hurt yourself if you continue."

Ichigo looked up at the tall, dark-haired man. He scowled and nodded.

"Okay. See you tomorrow, ossan."

Somewhat sulkily, he vanished from his inner world.

Zangetsu sighed and returned to his pole. His wielder was stubborn, willing to do anything to have the power to protect his family and friends—even do what he hated most: reiatsu control.

Zangetsu supposed he should be grateful Ichigo was incredible determined. It was an admirable trait. If only it didn't make him so self-sacrificing . . .

He didn't want their partnership to end any time soon.

xxx

"ICHIGO!"

Ichigo rolled his eyes, easily sidestepping. Keigo tripped, crashing into the courtyard cement face-first.

"Ichigo, you're so cruel to me!" he cried, fake-sobbing.

"Has anyone told you that you should try out for the school play?" Mizuiro asked, walking up and peering at Keigo.

"Yo, Mizuiro."

"Hey Ichigo. How was break?"

Ichigo shrugged. Compared to the years before, it was nothing.

"So. . . our last year of high school."

The other two nodded. They stood there somewhat awkwardly, not knowing what else to say.

"Kurosaki-kun!" Orihime ran towards him, holding something brown and fuzzy in her hands. "Look what Ishida-kun made me! Isn't it adorable!"

Ichigo stared at the ball of fluff. He could barely see its button eyes and small, disproportionate body and limbs from the mass of fuzzy yarn. "What is it?"

"It's an amigurumi bear! Isn't it cute?"

Ichigo scratched his head. "Uh, sure Inoue."

She beamed, hugging the . . . thing.

Ishida walked up behind her. "Hello, Kurosaki."

"Ishida-kun! Thank you so much!" Orihime squealed, turning around and hugging him. Ishida blushed.

"It was nothing."

"A gift isn't nothing," she admonished, stepping back. Ishida blushed a deeper red.

"Well. . . you're welcome," he said, not looking at her.

"Class is about to start," Mizuiro interrupted, looking at his watch. "We should get going."

"Aa," Ichigo agreed.

xxx

Ichigo breathed deeply, sweat dripping down his face. He relaxed his muscles, one by one, still keeping his reiryoku tightly coiled within him.

"Good. Memorize the feeling of having your reiryoku completely under control, infusing every atom of your body with power. Your heart with beat more powerfully. You lungs will take in more air. Even your skin will toughen, impervious to simple attacks."

Ichigo obeyed, taking in the sensation of power.

"Now run. Practice shunpou. Feel the difference."

Ichigo leapt into the air, easily flash-stepping. The single step took him twice as far as it had before. He could feel each of the countless reishi around him, solidifying under his feet. He could almost see them, little specks of . . . something, absolutely everywhere.

"I was blind. . ." he whispered.

"Aa. Now go. Keep control of your power."

Ichigo smiled at Zangetsu. "Thanks, ossan. I know I'm not the best student."

Zangetsu waited until he was gone, then smiled ever-so-slightly.

xxx

Ichigo frowned. Inoue, Ishida, and Chad had all been acting strangely. They kept on glancing at him, confused. What up with them?

He felt his reiatsu fluctuate. Irritated, he forced it to still.

Again! Ishida was staring at him. Ichigo raised an eyebrow. He looked away, pushing up his glasses.

Stupid Quincy.

At lunch, Ishida confronted him, glasses flashing.

"Alright, what is it, Kurosaki? Why can't I feel your reiatsu? All day today, and sometimes in the middle of the night. I even went to check on you once, and you were just asleep. What the hell is going on?"

Ichigo scowled. "You were watching me as I slept?"

Ishida huffed. "That's not the point."

Inoue and Chad saw them and approached.

"Ichigo, are you okay?" Chad asked, concerned.

"I'm fine! I just learned to control my reiatsu!" At the same time, it flared, almost escaping Ichigo's grip. He angrily pulled it back in.

They looked at him.

"What?"

Ishida shook his head. "I never thought I'd live to see the day _you_ controlled your monstrous reiryoku.

Ichigo's scowl deepened.

"Che, whatever. You would too if you had Zangetsu as a teacher."

xxx

"Don't get distracted, Ichigo! Let controlling your reiryoku become second nature." Zangetsu brought his blade down. Ichigo only just managed to block it.

"I know!" he grunted, blocking another strike. He countered, and was blocked in return.

"You're pathetic," said Hichigo's creepy, echoing voice. Ichigo almost lost control then, barely drawing back his power.

"Shut up!" he yelled, dodging an attack. Hichigo laughed, the sound raising goosebumps on Ichigo's arms. He made every effort to ignore his irritating hollow, focusing on Zangetsu's powerful, lightning-quick slices.

"Don't close yourself off!" the hollow said from beside him, his sword unsheathed and dripping with blood. Ichigo's back erupted in pain.

"I said, shut up!" Ichigo bellowed, slicing towards him. Hichigo laughed and dodged.

"I'll take it from here!" he said to Zangetsu, smirking. "You're too soft on him."

Zangetsu narrowed his eyes. "Hardly."

Hichigo's smirk widened. "Don't get your panties in a bunch, old man." He grinned and turned to Ichigo. "Let's do this."

Zangetsu watched them fight, noting how, slowly but surely, Ichigo picked up speed and accuracy, until the two of them were a blur against the blue of the sky. He was still in control of his reiatsu.

xxx

"So . . . what does your zanpakutou look like? Zangetsu?"

Ichigo stared at Ishida, almost stumbling as they ran around the school property for gym.

"What? Why do you want to know?"

Ishida shrugged. "Curiousity. Urahara-san mentioned that zanpakutou have other forms. I saw some when we were fighting Muramasa, but not yours."

"Okay then," Ichigo said, feeling slightly awkward. How could he convey what Zangetsu looked like? "He's about as tall as Kenpachi," he began, "and really pale. He wears a black, ragged coat and a black suit with a ragged white collar, and dark brown sunglasses. His hair is wavy, and dark brown. Er, and he has beard, kinda."

"That's it?"

Ichigo scowled. "What do you mean, 'that's it'?"

"Well, I thought he'd be more. . . I don't know, interesting. Or majestic, like Hitsugaya-taicho's."

"He is interesting! And majestic! You wouldn't know, you haven't seen him. He just doesn't like to, you know, flaunt himself!"

Ishida raised his arms in surrender. "Okay! You don't have to get so upset, Kurosaki."

"He's my zanpakutou," Ichigo grumbled.

They continued to run, but Ishida kept glancing at him.

"What?"

"Tell me more about his clothes."

Ichigo shook his head in disbelief.

xxx

"You should have heard him! Then he made me draw you for him, and then he criticized both my drawing skills _and_ your sense of fashion!"

Zangetsu raised an eyebrow. "You could just show me to him."

"And then he—what?"

"It would be good for you to practice materialization."

Ichigo looked at Zangetsu. "But . . ."

Zangetsu stared back.

"Nevermind."

xxx

"Kurosaki, what are we doing here?" Ishida looked around at the forest clearing, some ways away from Karakura town.

Ichigo scowled. "Zangetsu says I need to practice materializing him, so while I do, I might as well introduce him to you."

Orihime bounced up and down. "We get to meet him? Really?"

Chad looked vaguely interested.

"Aa." Ichigo used his badge to force himself out of his body, then took his sword off his back, the bandages that sheathed its blade falling away. He held it away from him, concentrating. It began to glow, and then a shape pulled itself free from it, forming the silhouette of a man at least six and a half feet tall. A split-second later, he was entirely in the real world, his dark hair waving in the breeze.

"Oi, ossan, I did it, happy? Everyone, this is Zangetsu. Ossan, this is Inoue, Chad, and Ishida."

"Wow!" Orihime breathed.

Zangetsu looked around, briefly letting his eyes rest on each of them. "Your materialization has improved, Ichigo."

"Thanks." Ichigo said, wincing as he remembered his attempts at it earlier that year. "Hey, anything in particular you want to do while you're here?"

Zangetsu looked at him questioningly.

"Oh! I know! We should get some ice cream! And then we could go to ride the Ferris wheel and eat cotton candy! And then I could make us all some peanut-butter, sugar, and leek muffin sandwiches!" Orihime clapped her hands in glee. Everyone stared at her incredulously.

"How about . . . just the ice cream?" Ichigo asked weakly. He looked at Zangetsu. "What do you think, old man? Can you even eat?"

"I am capable of consuming, just as you are when in spiritual form."

Ichigo grinned sheepishly and nodded, then got back into his body, dusting off his jeans.

"Let's go, then!" Orihime said excitedly. She lead the way out of the forest and to the ice cream parlor, eagerly bouncing inside. The rest followed her in.

"I'd like a triple scoop, one wasabi, one garlic, and one pickled plum, please!"

Ishida and Ichigo both turned a faint green. Chad looked away, grimacing.

"Uh, just a double scoop lemon sorbet for me, please," Ishida said, not sure if he even wanted to eat it anymore.

"Two chocolate double scoops," Ichigo ordered.

"Kid sized strawberry," Chad said calmly.

The shopkeeper eyed them strangely, but made their cones without a word. They paid and left, moving towards the river. Ichigo made sure no one else was around and handed Zangetsu a chocolate ice cream cone.

"Eat it quickly, or it'll melt, but not too quickly, or you'll get a headache," he said. Zangetsu eyed the frozen treat warily. He watched the others eating out of the corner of his eye, then hesitantly copied them.

It was cold! And sweet, creamy, with a delightful flavor that he had never experienced. It chilled him as it slid down his throat.

"It's good, isn't it?" Ichigo said, smiling at the bizarre picture Zangetsu, dark and serious, made while holding an ice cream cone.

"Aa." He took another careful lick.

The group reached the river. They settled on a grassy hill, watching as the sun slowly inched closer to the horizon. Zangetsu remained standing, watching the sun's reflection waver on the water.

"Er, Zangetsu-san?"

The zanpakutou turned to look at Ishida. The Quincy cleared his throat.

"What is it like to be a zanpakutou? I mean, what do you do?"

Zangetsu returned his gaze to the water.

"I meditate. I watch Ichigo's life, thinking of ways to guide him. I teach him. I look over him."

"I see . . ." Feeling strangely like he had intruded something, Ishida turned to Orihime. He frowned. "You have a stain on your shirt."

She blushed. "Oh no! I'm such a messy eater." She attempted to scrub it off. Ishida handed her a handkerchief.

Chad ate his ice cream in silence.

Ichigo flopped onto his back, looking at the sky. "Zangetsu no ossan, why is my inner world sideways?"

Zangetsu glanced at Ichigo. "It wasn't always." He gestured at the river. Ichigo furrowed his brows. Then, comprehension filled his face.

"Oh," he murmured.

A drop of water fell on Zangetsu's cheek. Ichigo frowned; the sky was clear. Zangetsu touched it, then looked at him.

"Ichigo," he said softly.

"Sorry," Ichigo muttered, forcing himself not to dwell on past events.

Zangetsu continued to watch him. "I should go back," he said, tone still low.

Ichigo looked up. "Are you sure?"

Zangetsu looked at him meaningfully.

"Alright," Ichigo sighed, taking out his badge and again pushing himself out of his body. He closed his eyes, concentrating on bringing Zangetsu back into his inner world. When he opened them again, he was gone, his familiar reiatsu back in the sword Ichigo held in his hands.

Chad walked up next to Ichigo.

"You two are very close," he observed. Ichigo smiled slightly.

"Aa," he agreed, returning the blade to its place across his back.

Yea, I'm still alive. I've been working on this for a while now… figured I might as well post part of it. Besides, there's not enough ZanIchi out there, and maybe this will inspire other people to try their own hand at it.

This is going to be a rather fluffy slash romance. Don't like, don't read. It's that simple.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: don't own it

White Moon, Black Sun

by

DemonicDragoness

xxx

"Getsuga Tenshou!" Ichigo yelled, letting the blue crescent of destructive power fly harmlessly into the sky.

"Control it, Ichigo! It is not a bludgeon, but a blade, capable of far more than what you are doing!" Zangetsu rebuked. "Your reiatsu no longer blinds you. Feel and see the energy in the attack. It will obey your commands, if only you command it! You are like a child, swinging with abandon, destroying without knowing what you are doing."

Angry at himself for disappointing Zangetsu, he tried to 'feel' around him, concentrating on his actions. Slowly and deliberately, he lifted his sword.

"Getsuga Tenshou," he said, voice firm. He 'reached' for the crescent, trying to compact it. It readily shrank into a painfully bright sphere the size of a tennis ball, and surprised, he flung it away from himself. With his sudden lack of concentration, it lost its shape and exploded into a dazzling mini-supernova, leaving steaming, blackened craters in the buildings closest to it. Even from a two-hundred feet away, Ichigo felt its blistering heat and winced.

"Better," Zangetsu said dryly. Ichigo sighed, lifting his sword to try again.

xxx

Ichigo leisurely walked toward Kurosaki Clinic, bag slung over his shoulder. School had been dull, as always, but at least the day was warm and sunny, a pleasant breeze ruffling the tops of trees.

A wave of distressed reiatsu passed over him. He frowned. It was Orihime.

He pinpointed the source, then ran towards it, getting faster as the reiatsu became more and more frightened.

"Stop it!" he heard her scream, and he quickly sprinted into the alley he knew she was in. She was surrounded by five men around their age, all from their high school. A sixth lay unconscious near her, a large, red bump on his forehead. They had her trapped in a corner. Orihime had her hands to her temples, clearly not wanting to use her last resort, but not seeing any way out.

"Come on, bitch, show 'em," one of the men said, leering at Orihime. Ichigo felt hot anger boil in his veins. Before the punk even knew he was there, Ichigo had kicked his face, throwing him several feet away and into the air, only to crash into a brick building. He did not get up.

"Get him!" yelled the leader. They ran at him.

"Kurosaki-kun!" Orihime shrieked.

Ichigo felt as though the punks were moving slow-motion. It was almost laughable how easy it would be to knock them out. He effortlessly dodged the first strike, bringing his fist up to connect squarely with the guy's jaw. He fell backward, teeth clinking on the concrete. Ichigo blocked the second man's fist, elbowing him in the ribs. The guy staggered back, moaning in pain. He ran from the alley, almost falling in his haste. Ichigo let him go, spinning around and sweeping the third's feet out from under him. His head hit the sidewalk with a sick thump.

One man was missing. Ichigo turned around, cursing. The leader held Orihime by the hair, one hand over her mouth.

"Let her go, you bastard!" Ichigo growled, furious that he had let his guard down.

"Make me," he said, giving Orihime's hair a tug. Involuntary tears of pain welled in her eyes.

Ichigo cursed again. He knew what he was about to do wouldn't agree with his human body. Nevertheless, he flash-stepped to the man, carefully removed his fingers from Orihime's hair, then threw him into the nearest wall. The whole process took less than a second.

"You—you're a demon!" The man gasped, staring at him fearfully and clutching his ribs. Some seemed to have broken. Coughing, the punk stood up and ran, limping heavily but not looking back.

Orhime took a gasping breath, massaging her scalp. "Kurosaki-kun! I'm so sorry you had to come save me! Thank you so much!"

Ichigo shrugged, then winced. Every bone in his body felt like it had been stretched and warped.

"It's fine, Inoue. Be more careful," he said, trying not to move too much.

"Kurosaki!" Ishida ran into the alley. Chad followed him in. They stared at the unconscious men lying on the floor. "Inoue, are you okay?"

"Mm, I'm fine," Orihime said. She turned to Ichigo, concerned. "But you're hurt." She put her hands to her clips.

"It's nothing," Ichigo said dismissingly. Orihime frowned at him, but said nothing more.

"What happened?" Chad asked. Ichigo scowled.

"These bastards had Inoue surrounded when I got here."

Ishida grimaced, understanding what Ichigo left unsaid. _Who knows what they would have done. . ._ Chills went down his spine.

"I'll be going, then," Ichigo said, feeling uncomfortable. He started to walk out of the alley, but lost his balance, falling to his knees. He groaned and got back to his feet.

"See! You aren't fine." Orihime's clips winked and a glowing orange shield appeared over Ichigo. He frowned, but allowed her to heal him. "You shouldn't flash-step in your human body."

"Thanks," he said when she was finished, then dusted off his pants. He waved goodbye and walked away.

xxx

_A star. . . a disk. . . a spike. . ._

Ichigo shifted the blue energy into a variety of shapes, reinforcing the edges with sheer will. He returned it to crescent shape and made it fly in a spiral shape around a building. He made the energy into a rose, then a shower of blue-hot sparks that whizzed around in every direction.

"Good, Ichigo," Zangetsu said. Ichigo basked in his praise. "You are ready for the next step."

Zangetsu materialized his sword in his hand. "Getsuga Tenshou," he said softly. The crescent morphed into a glowing blue katana that he plucked out of the air with his left hand. Ichigo stared wide-mouthed in amazement as the implications hit him. A sword that could change shape by will, that could become anything and go in any direction—he felt like an idiot for not having thought of it.

"Prepare yourself, Ichigo," Zangetsu ordered. Ichigo brought the sparks of his own Getsuga Tenshou to his hand, copying Zangetsu's katana. He brought it up in time to block Zangetsu's first attack, then sprung backwards into the air and extended his 'energy sword' into a whip. He lashed it toward Zangetsu, who easily knocked it away, then retaliated with several energy spikes. Ichigo hissed as one imbedded itself into his shoulder, but managed to dodge the rest. The spike withdrew, rejoining Zangetsu's katana. The puncture wound dripped onto the skyscraper below.

Ichigo found it almost natural to have such a versatile weapon on hand, but was quickly remided of Zangetsu's original sword's dangers when the man almost beheaded him with it. He blocked just in time with his own meat-cleaver like sword, then struck with his left. A piece of black cloak was cut away, and Ichigo caught a glimpse of a pale shoulder and a thin, scratch-like wound. Then he jumped backwards to dodge another attack, twisting to avoid being cut into pieces by several spinning energy disks.

Ichigo heard a high-pitched ringing sound. It was at first faint, but soon grew louder. The boy and the sword ceased to fight.

"My alarm clock," Ichigo muttered. He frowned, disappointed. "Sorry, ossan. Got to go."

Zangetsu nodded. "We will continue when you return."

"Aa," Ichigo agreed. He reabsorbed the Getsuga Tenshou blade, then lifted himself out of his inner world. He opened his eyes, slamming his hand down on the alarm clock's snooze.

"GOOD MORNING, ICHIGO!"

Ichigo yawned and rolled out of his bed, sidestepping his father's attack. Isshin crashed into the far wall.

"I'm so proud!" he wailed, tears in his eyes.

"What do you want?" Ichigo muttered, irritated. If he hadn't known that his father was centuries old, he would have wondered who exactly was the mature one of the two.

"I just wanted to say good morning!" the man insisted. Ichigo scowled.

"Cut the act, Goat-Face."

Isshin sighed, then stood up and dusted off his clothes. "Go to Urahara Shouten after school."

Ichigo frowned, confused. "What's going on?"

Isshin shook his head. "Soul Society has reached a decision over you. Kisuke says that he can't tell me, but that it's nothing bad."

Ichigo's frown deepened, but he nodded. Isshin patted his shoulder, then left the room.

"Nothing bad, according to Urahara," Ichigo murmured as he dressed for school. "Knowing him, it's probably worse than what I imagine."

xxx

"Oi! Sandal-hat!" called Ichigo, entering Urahara Shouten. Urahara appeared by the cash register.

"Ah, Kurosaki-san, good to see you," he said. "Please, do come in!"

Ichigo followed him into a back room. A low table laden with tea took up the middle of the room. Ichigo was unsurprised to see Yoruichi, but was startled to see that Ukitake and Rukia were also seated around the table.

Ichigo settled next to Rukia. Urahara sat and covered his face with his fan.

"Ukitake-san, is everything alright?" Ichigo asked, worried. The pale man smiled.

"No one is hurt, Kurosaki-san. Rather, Soul Society has finally reached a decision on what to do with you. Your status as substitute shinigami was only temporary, after all. The new Central 46 Chambers has decided you should be allowed to live your life as a human, but still be a part of the Gotei 13. You are assigned to my division, the thirteenth, and have a rank similar to lieutenant. You are to be stationed here in Karakura Town until further notice, and are its official guardian.

"This means you must not only sublime any hollows that appear, but perform Konsou on any free-wandering souls. You must record the number of hollows and souls sent to Soul Society, and make your report to myself or Rukia every two months."

Ichigo nodded. "So, basically it's the same, but with more paperwork."

Ukitake laughed. "Aa. However, Central 46 also decided you must be formally taught Zankensoki. Urahara-san and Yoruichi-san have both taught you some, especially Zanjutsu, and you seem to have picked up Hohou quite quickly, but learning Kidou and Hakuda will be good for you. By the way, congratulations on having succeeded in suppressing your reiatsu."

"Thank you," Ichigo said.

"One more thing," Ukitake said. "the Gotei 13 is setting aside your wages for you for when you come to make reports, and, of course, for when you come to join us permanently."

Ichigo nodded. "I didn't know shinigami got wages," he said.

Ukitake chuckled. "Perhaps your instructor can tell you more about Soul Society as well as Zankensoki."

"Who will be teaching me?" Ichigo asked, curious.

"Me," said Yoruichi, smiling predatorily. Ichigo gulped.

No wonder he had a bad feeling about this.

xxx

"Hold your arms out straight, Ichigo!"

"I am!" he said irritably, trying to ignore Yoruichi, who was circling around him. "I still don't get why you have to instruct me naked!"

She laughed, and Ichigo pointedly looked anywhere but at her jiggling breasts. "You have to concentrate, even when there are distractions," she said, amused. "Pour some reiatsu into your arms and hands. The more you use, the more power the spell has, and the more difficult it is to control. Try a small amount at first."

Ichigo pushed a little reiatsu into his palms. They tingled strangely.

"Good. Now, incant! Focus on your target and the effect you want to achieve!"

_"Ye lord! Mask of blood and flesh, all creation, flutter of wings, ye who bears the name of Man! Repel the unworthy from your deadly gaze. Scatter the dust of their bones in the blood of morning light! Hadou no Ichi, Shou!"_

To Ichigo's delight, the target boulder flew back a few hundred feet, tumbling over itself and digging craters into the ground. Yoruichi raised an eyebrow.

"Not bad. Not bad at all, for a first try."

xxx

Ichigo made his way into Urahara Shoten, just as he had for the past week for training. He went into the back room, where Urahara lounged, sipping tea.

"Ano, Urahara-san?"

"Hai, Kurosaki-san?"

Ichigo sat down, scratching the back of his neck. "I was wondering. . . back when Muramasa was releasing zanpakutou, Zangetsu mentioned that he wanted a garden. Is it possible to change your inner world?"

Urahara leaned back, his shadowed eyes on Ichigo. "Well, theoretically, yes. It does require you to make some personal changes." He rubbed his unshaven chin thoughtfully. "For example, if you want to make a flower grow, you'd have to first think of what you want that flower to represent. Happiness, creativity, anything really, but the flower has to have meaning. Then, because you are bringing this to the forefront of your soul, you have to exhibit what the flower stands for, or it will disappear." He fanned himself idly. "Changing yourself isn't easy, Kurosaki-san."

Ichigo nodded solemnly.

Urahara took another sip of his tea. "Now, is that all you wanted?"

Ichigo began to say yes, but stopped himself. He hesitated.

"Well, there is one more thing. . ."


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: don't own it

White Moon, Black Sun

by

DemonicDragoness

xxx

Ichigo stood by the concrete floor of his inner world, staring at the cracks in the sidewalk in front of him. Everywhere he looked, the street was barren of even the slightest sign of life.

"Am I really so closed off?" he asked himself, touching the cold concrete. He closed his eyes.

_What does a plant need? Sun, warmth, water. Earth to root into. Earth. . . a promise of life, a promise to be more than an unyielding stone._

The roughness under his fingers changed to something softer, more powdery. He opened his eyes. Brown, loamy earth was spreading from his touch until it filled in a patch of ground about twenty feet wide and thirty feet long. Ichigo smiled.

"Well, it's a start."

He went over to where Zangetsu stood on his pole, apparently meditating. Ichigo flopped onto his back, staring idly at the passing clouds. They were having a small break in their training.

"Zangetsu no ossan?"

Zangetsu opened his eyes and looked at Ichigo. "Hmm?"

"Why do you stay in Shikai?"

"I prefer not to be constrained by a pale imitation of what I am," he replied calmly. "Should you choose to seal me, I would obey, however. Your control is enough to do so now."

Ichigo shook his head. "We're equals. I don't want to oppress you."

Zangetsu looked away and smiled.

xxx

_"Ye lord! Mask of blood and flesh, all creation, flutter of wings, ye who bears the name of Man! Inferno and pandemonium, the sea barrier surges, march on to the south! Hadou no sanjuuichi, Shakkahou!"_

The sphere of red fire hit the target squarely, blowing it into millions of tiny pieces. Yoruichi watched it, amazed.

"Ichigo, what sort of training did Zangetsu put you through? I didn't think you'd be so proficient."

Ichigo shrugged. It helped that she had finally decided to put some clothes on, he thought. He decided just to show her Zangetsu's lessons, taking his sword off his back. He brought it in front of him.

"Getsuga Tenshou," he said softly. The famous blue crescent exploded from the blade. For a moment, it seemed to streak toward Yoruichi. Calmly, she watched it approach, prepared to flash-step away if it got too close. Suddenly, it stopped mid-air, twisting into a rough cat. It twined around her feet, but didn't come in contact with her. Where its footsteps touched the ground, the dirt blackened. Then it leapt into the air, becoming a tiny sparrow that flew around for a while, then changed into a falcon.

The falcon dived toward the ground, and a second later, the entire room vibrated and shook with an enormous explosion. The dust cleared slowly, revealing a crater three hundred feet wide and several hundred more feet deep. Yoruichi whistled.

Ichigo stared, stunned, at the enormous chasm. "It didn't seem this destructive in my inner world," he said. Yoruichi laughed.

"Of course not. You'd hurt yourself if you did this kind of damage in there. My compliments to Zangetsu. That's one hell of a punch."

Ichigo smiled, patting his sword. "He's one hell of a zanpakutou," he said. He felt Urahara approach, and turned.

"Yare, yare, Kurosaki-san," he said, staring at the hole in the ground. "It's going to take forever to fill that up again."

"Sorry," Ichigo said, embarrassed. "I didn't mean for it to be so big."

"It's quite alright, Kurosaki-san. However, it is getting late."

Ichigo nodded. "It's hard to tell in here."

"Aa," Urahara agreed. "By the way, I finished your order. Would you like me to store it for you?"

"Please," Ichigo said, trying not to sound like an excited schoolgirl. "Thank you, Getaboshi."

Urahara smiled knowingly. "Be sure to test it out soon."

"I will," Ichigo promised.

xxx

Ichigo placed one hand on the warm earth of his inner world. He smiled. It was still there. He dug his fingers into the moist soil, enjoying its airy texture.

_A plant starts as a seed. . . a promise to continue grow and become something better, to take both rain and sun and transform them into something beautiful._

Nothing seemed to happen, but under his fingers he felt little objects, tiny and round. He removed his hand and peered at the shallow indents left behind. Seeds sat nestled in the depressions. He smiled again and covered them up, then walked back to Zangetsu.

"Hey, ossan, I've got a surprise for you."

Zangetsu cracked open one eye. "Oh?" He already knew about the garden.

Ichigo scratched the back of his head, looking away. "Yeah. Back when I materialized you, I realized how selfish I was for making you stay in here all the time. So, I asked Urahara to make you a gigai of sorts, so that I can show you around Karakura-chou."

Zangetsu stared, surprised at Ichigo. A gigai? For him?

"I. . . thank you, Ichigo."

Ichigo smiled brightly at Zangetsu's thanks. "Do you want to go now? I can go over to Urahara's and we can try it out."

"It would be my pleasure, Ichigo," Zangetsu replied, smiling, and Ichigo beamed.

He pushed himself back into the real world. The sun was just beginning to rise over the horizon. Ichigo began to dress, putting on a blood-red shirt and a black jacket, then a pair of slim-fit dark-wash jeans. To the jeans he added a black chain.

He went into the bathroom to brush his teeth and scowled at his reflection. There was something missing. As he opened the medicine cabinet to take out the toothpaste, he spotted a roll of thin linen bandages. He grinned, taking the roll out and wrapping the bandages around his hand like a glove, leaving his fingers free. Tearing off and tucking in the end, he returned the roll to the medicine cabinet, then continued to get ready for the day.

Finished with his morning routine, he left for Urahara Shouten, thinking nothing of skipping school. He went inside, immediately heading toward the back room.

"Oi! Getaboshi!"

Urahara slinked into view. "Ah! Kurosaki-san! What can I do for you today?"

"I'd like to test out my order," Ichigo said. Urahara smiled brightly.

"Right this way!" he said, leading Ichigo into the room filled with odd, long wooden boxes. He opened one casket-like crate, and Ichigo's breath caught in his throat as he saw the still body of Zangetsu lying there, looking oddly fragile and helpless. He mentally shook himself, remembering that Zangetsu was perfectly fine in his inner world.

"I'll be in the front," Urahara said, hiding his face with his fan. He left the storage room.

_Here goes nothing, _he thought to himself, using his badge to once again emerge from his own body. He lifted Zangetsu off his back, guiding the zanpakutou into the real world.

Zangetsu appeared, tall and imposing, in the small room. Ichigo couldn't help but compare the pale corpse-like gigai in the crate to the real thing, and found the gigai extremely lacking.

Zangetsu walked over to the crate, peering in. He kneeled down, his coat fluttering around him, and reached out to touch his copy's flesh. His fingers passed through. Startled, he withdrew them, then surveyed the gigai once more and lowered himself into the fake body.

It was still for a long second, and then the man's eyes snapped open. He raised himself out of the box as Ichigo sighed in relief.

"How is it?" asked Ichigo.

"Strange," Zangetsu said, staring at his palms. He opened and closed one hand, getting used to controlling the kishi body.

For the first time, Ichigo noticed what Zangetsu was wearing: a black, fitted suit and tie with a grey shirt. A white handkerchief peeped out of his front pocket.

"You, um, look good," Ichigo said awkwardly. Zangetsu looked down at his clothes, furrowing his brows, then looked back at Ichigo.

"Thank you," he murmured.

Ichigo felt a blush creep up his neck. "Er, shall we be going, then?"

Zangetsu nodded. Ichigo smiled slightly and showed the way the way to the front room, where they found Urahara lounging and idly fanning himself. He looked up as they drew closer.

"My, my! I can see why Ichigo speaks so highly of you," Urahara said, hiding a smirk with his fan as he watched Ichigo redden even more. "It is a pleasure to finally meet you, Zangetsu-san."

"The pleasure is mine," replied the zanpakutou, bowing at the man who had done so much for his wielder.

"Will you two be leaving, then?" Urahara asked.

Ichigo nodded. "Thank you very much, Urahara-san, for making the gigai," he said sincerely. He, too, bowed

"No problem!" Urahara replied brightly. "Anything for such a regular customer!"

"See you later, then, Sandle-hat," Ichigo said, leading Zangetsu into the bright outdoors. Ichigo squinted at the sun.

"It's a nice day," he observed, walking at a leisurely pace toward the center of town.

"Aa," Zangetsu agreed, looking around. Ichigo smiled.

"It's my favorite time of the year," he admitted. "Before the summer rains."

The two of them were quite a sight: one man, toweringly tall and thin, dressed in formal attire, watching the world with wonder, and one teenager, short in comparison, with a shock of orange hair and more casually dressed, his relaxed movements at odds with the scowl on his face.

Something brushed against Zangetsu's shoulder. He turned to look. It was a cluster of pale purple flowers. He could smell their heady fragrance, and as he looked around, he realized the bush he was next to was filled with them.

Ichigo turned around to see why he had stopped, and his breath caught in his throat as he watched Zangetsu gaze at the lilacs, fascinated. The zanpakutou brought one hand up to touch the tiny, delicate flowers. He looked so… amazed at the plant, as though he could hardly believe it could exist.

"What are these?" he asked, bringing the flower to his nose and inhaling deeply.

"Lilacs," Ichigo answered. He broke off a cluster of them from a branch nearer to him, then presented it to Zangetsu. "Here."

Zangetsu took the stem from him and smiled. "Thank you, Ichigo." He put the flower in his suit pocket.

Ichigo felt his cheeks warm again. He looked away, muttering a quick, "You're welcome."

They resumed their walk, and Ichigo turned to the left, then walked toward a small, tucked away restaurant.

"I'm glad this place is still here," he told Zangetsu. "Mom and I used to come here all the time, but…"

Zangetsu nodded. Ichigo pushed the door and held it open for Zangetsu, who thanked him and entered. The restaurant was a cozy place, decorated with soft browns and deep reds. Ichigo lead Zangetsu to a table by a window that looked out to a tiny, well-tended herb garden. The other tables were empty. Ichigo frowned.

"When ever Okaa-san and I came here, it was always crowded…"

A short, elderly woman approached their table, a smile on her kind, wrinkled face. She set a pair of water glasses on their table.

"Welcome to my humble restaurant. What can I get you two today?"

"Ah, the usual, I think, Obaa-san."

The old woman's eyes widened. "Why, if it isn't..! Ichigo-kun, how you've grown!"

Ichigo stood up and the woman embraced him. He patted her back, grinning apologetically at Zangetsu.

"I think you've shrunk, Obaa-san. There's no way I've grown an inch since I've seen you," he joked. The woman laughed.

"That must be it," she replied, her eyes moist as she looked up at the man she last saw as a nine-year-old. "It is good to see you. And who is this handsome young man you've brought me?" She looked over at Zangetsu.

Ichigo smiled. "Obaa-san, this is Zangetsu. He's a good friend of mine, and I'm showing him around town. Zangetsu, this is an old friend of my mother's, Tanaka-san."

"Not too old, I hope!" Tanaka said, smiling and nodding her head at the imposing man. "It's pleasure to meet you, Zangetsu-san."

"The pleasure is mine," Zangetsu replied, bowing in return.

She beamed at the two of them. "Well! You said the usual, right, Ichigo-kun? Let's see if I still remember." She hurried to the kitchens.

"Obaa-san makes the best karashi mentaiko," Ichigo told Zangetsu, "and chocolate cake, too."

"Karashi mentaiko?" Zangetsu asked.

Ichigo furrowed his brows. "It's pollock eggs, but marinated and spicy." He shrugged. "It tastes better than it sounds. You'll see."

"Chocolate is like the—" Zangetsu thought back, "—ice cream you gave me, isn't it?"

"Kind of," Ichigo replied. "They put chocolate in the ice cream to give it flavor. Cake is a lot different, though. It's warm and soft, like bread, but they're both sweet." He smiled. "Maybe we can stop by a candy store and you can try a chocolate bar."

Zangetsu smiled back.

Ichigo looked outside the window, admiring the quiet beauty of the herbs. He listed off their names, which his mother had taught him long ago: lavender, rosemary, thyme, basil, sage. Ivy twined itself around the white picket fence on the far side of the garden.

"Zangetsu," he said, breaking the silence. "You told me back then, when Muramasa brainwashed you, that you had nothing left to teach me…but you _are_ teaching me more."

"It was the truth at that time," Zangetsu replied.

Ichigo turned to look at him "What do you mean?"

"Our relationship has improved since then, Ichigo. Our trust has grown. As a result, we are more powerful, and this power allows me to create more techniques." The sun glinted off his sunglasses. "If you were even slightly weaker, Ichigo, the Gestuga Tenshou blade would burn you just as it does its surroundings. I am not to be handled by someone weak, as you well know."

"Aa," Ichigo replied. He grinned. "You made sure I'll _never_ forget."

"Good," Zangetsu said, a wry twist in his lips.

Tanaka bustled in, a large plate of the pink, strange-looking mentaiko in one hand and a tray with two bowls of rice and chopsticks in the other. She set them on their table and beamed at her guests.

"The cake is still in the oven, but it will be done soon. Enjoy!" She left to greet a customer who had just walked in.

Ichigo's mouth watered. "Itadakimasu," he said, taking a bowl and a pair of chopsticks. Zangetsu copied him. Ichigo used his chopsticks to put some of the mentaiko in his bowl, then began to eat.

Zangetsu stared at his chopsticks in silent confusion. "Ichigo, how do you…?"

Ichigo looked up from his meal. "You don't know how to use chopsticks?" he asked incredulously. Zangetsu narrowed his eyes.

"How would I?"

Ichigo shrugged. "I guess it kind of makes sense that you don't." He scooted his chair closer to Zangetsu and put his hands on the table in front of them to demonstrate. "You have to hold the first one like this, with your thumb and two fingers, and the other one like this…"

Zangetsu raised a questioning eyebrow. Ichigo sighed. He was a terrible teacher.

Deciding to use a different method of teaching, Ichigo took a hold of Zangetsu's hand. He moved his calloused fingers into the proper position.

"Like that, see? And you just move the top one to pick something up."

Zangetsu picked up a small clump of rice, slowly bringing it to his lips. Ichigo smiled encouragingly as he managed to deposit the food into his mouth.

"In time, you'll get better," Ichigo reassured him, and Zangetsu nodded, picking up another piece.

xxx

Ichigo checked on his inner-world garden, praying that the seeds had not disappeared. He gasped and smiled as he checked the soil; in a circle about the diameter of his hand, little sprouts were poking their heads above the dirt. They were only about half an inch high, but lively and green. He checked the soil, and it was warm and damp. Satisfied with his progress, he turned to leave, only to stop as a bit of pale purple caught his eye. He walked towards it.

It was the lilac stem he had given Zangetsu, slightly wilted but heavily fragrant. Its end was firmly planted in the ground, with a little mound of dirt around it. Ichigo knelt next to it and gently touched the delicate flowers, seeing exactly what must have happened. He didn't know how the flower got into his inner world, but he was sure that if he were to inspect Zangetsu's hands, he would find traces of dirt and the scent of lilacs.

The gesture was almost painful; how desperately the zanpakutou craved a bit of nature! For Zangetsu's sake, he willed the plant to take root. Turning away, he surfaced back into the real world, not noticing how the lilac's wilt had suddenly disappeared.


End file.
